deathbattlefanonfandomcom-20200213-history
Voldemort Vs Saruman
Long have two great wizards shared a rivalry. And by extension, long have their nemesis' done the same. Intro Wiz: Through use of magic, a witch or wizard can find themselves with the means to conjure an extraordinarily wide range of effects. With such possibilities aided through experience and knowledge, the powers of magic can become a beacon of good and hope, or a destructive force of death and malice. Boomstick: Like ying and yang, the two go hand in hand to balance each other out. And for each mighty white-bearded wizard of legend, there was a counterpart of equal skill whose mind was corrupted by the potential for power. Wiz: Lord Voldemort, the Dark Wizard and leader of the Death Eaters. Boomstick: And Saruman of Many Colours, mighty Maia and commander of Isengard. He’s Wiz, and I’m Boomstick. Wiz: And it’s our job to analyze their weapons, armour, and skills, in order to find out who would win... a Death Battle. Voldemort Wiz: Throughout the histories of the wizarding world, for every heroic witch or wizard, there is an equal and opposite practitioner of more malefic magic. Boomstick: Emeric the Evil, Merwyn the Malicious, Gellert Grindelwald, and Boomstick the Bombastic. Each of these names drove fear into the hearts of men, but there was no dark wizard more well-known than he-who-must-not-be-named, Lord Voldemort. His insane magical abilities and extreme views on racial segregation had him and his followers at the epicenter of two great Wizarding Wars, and he was widely believed to be so unstoppable, just living after encountering him was worthy of praise. Wiz: But who was the Dark Lord at first? Just a young boy from London, Tom Marvolo Riddle. Born the son of a wealthy muggle who abandoned him, and a peasant witch who died after giving birth, Riddle spent most of his early life living in a run-down orphanage, unaware of his magical heritage. However, the ability to use magic manifested in him without his knowledge. As a child, he could move objects with his mind, control small animals, and curse others with misfortune, which he used to terrorize his fellow orphans out of there being nothing better to do. Boomstick: Eventually, the great, if eccentric, wizard Albus Dumbledore stopped by to pay Tom an unexpected visit, and told him he had magical powers, as if he hadn’t figured that shit out already. After warning him to behave, he invited Tom to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he could learn how to use his magic properly, and also, go to school. After Dumbledore snuck him some funding, he got himself a wand and supplies, and went off to become the very best, like no one ever was. Wiz: Always driven by a desire to be better than everyone else, Riddle excelled at magic to a degree where most of his professors considered him a prodigy. With the acting performance of a lifetime, he grew up to be a rather well-liked student with wide curiosities on what had yet to be achieved in the realm of magic. However, only two things were really driving him: his lust for power, and his fear of death. Boomstick: Desperate to find a way to use magic to avoid death, Riddle took to the study of Horcruxes, a forbidden magic where one could split their soul in two, and seal away part of it in an enchanted indestructible object. At the height of his power, Voldemort had split his soul into eight fragments, hiding seven horcruxes across the world and rendering himself unkillable until they had all been magically destroyed. Wiz: He also discovered the Chamber of Secrets within the Hogwarts cistern, and trained the giant snake monster within it to kill off those who weren’t of pure blood. Even though, as he soon found out, he wasn’t even pure blood himself. Boomstick: And that’s why in order to convince everyone, including himself, that he was worthy of studying magic, he abandoned his father’s muggle name and reintroduced himself as Lord Voldemort. By the way, the “T” is silent. Wiz: But even after unleashing a basilisk, carving his soul, and murdering his father’s family, he was able to escape justice and graduate school with top academic honours. Afterwards, he fled into isolation, relentlessly studying the dark arts which could not be taught in a school. Rightfully immortal and free of death, there was only one more thing Voldemort wanted, and that was power. He returned to the world as a Dark Wizard, slowly gathering loyal extremist followers that became known as the Death Eaters. Taking advantage of species divide in the magical world, he amassed an army large enough to plunge the world into the First Wizarding War. Lord Voldemort had become so feared, many refused to speak his name, instead referring to him as “You know who”. Boomstick: Now just because he was noseless wizard Hitler doesn’t mean his skills were just in leadership and random useless shit. Voldemort’s skills with magic had become legendary. He had mastered a wide variety of jinxes, hexes, curses, charms, and enchantments. He also commanded an army of giants, werewolves, soul-suckers, and dark wizards, and used complex potions and pipe bombs in battle, which altogether basically gave him the ability to kill people in over a million different ways. Not only did his sheer skill increase the power of his spells beyond that of any other wizard, but he also pushed against the boundaries of magic and learned skills no other wizard in history had achieved, like flying... which I thought wizards did all the time. Wiz: Not exactly. Wizard flight was achieved through the use of enchanted objects, commonly brooms, but also other items such as cars and benches. Voldemort was the first to master flight without the use of such an object, truly levitating in the air. With this ability, he could travel fast enough to catch up to a Thestral, magical creatures faster than the world’s most powerful contemporary brooms. Thestrals have been used to travel from Scotland to London in a very brief amount of time; allowing this trek a generous half hour means that Voldemort can fly at approximately the speed of sound. Boomstick: Great for aerial combat, but if he needs to travel, apparition is the name of the game; basically, it’s an instantaneous teleport that can risk damaging the body, but Voldemort’s skilled enough to not worry about that. He also has a top notch reaction speed, capable of conjuring shields and dodging attacks that fire at 120 feet per second. Wiz: The effects of his spells can stun, levitate, disarm, transform, explode, suffocate, slow down, heal wounds, erase memories, conjure or vanish objects, and beyond, but Voldemort’s bread and butter are the three unforgivable curses. Crucio inflicts extreme pain on a victim, torturing them without killing them, and Imperio placed a victim under total mind-control. These curses were dangerous on their own, but exponentially so thanks to Voldemort’s skills as a Legilimen. Boomstick: A leg-lily what now? Wiz: A Legilimen. A master of the craft, Voldemort could invade people’s minds, reading their deepest thoughts, uncovering hidden emotions, and detecting if he was being lied to, even from long distance. Once again going beyond, Voldemort could also alter the minds of others, attacking them on the mental plane with visions, false memories, and madness. The fragments of his soul could even possess the bodies of other living beings. Only the best masters of the counter-art Occlumency could shield their minds from Voldemort... and Voldemort was a master of that too, protecting his mind as well as his soul and body. Boomstick: So he was a master of torture and manipulation, but the last of the three unforgivable curses is his favourite; Avada Kedavra, which is basically a one-hit kill. Wait, no, not basically, it literally is a one-hit kill. Wiz: Victims of the killing curse show no signs of wounds or illness; it is quite legitimately instant death, because magic, although the two victims who have survived because of plot devices have described it as their soul being ripped from their body. There are very few ways to defend against the Killing Curse, as the energy stream it fires cannot be blocked through the use of magical shields or defenses; the only known method is to dodge or hit the energy jet with equal force from another jet-like spell. Boomstick: And with each corpse he creates with this curse, Voldy can add to his army of Inferi. It’s impossible to truly bring back the dead through magic, but that didn’t stop the Dark Lord from reanimating them as mindless puppets. His army numbers in the hundreds, if not thousands, and each is impervious to pain, possesses superhuman strength, and will follow orders to the end. The only way to re-kill the undead is through fire, and speaking of that... Wiz: Yet another impossibly difficult curse Voldemort has mastered is that of Fiendfyre, a massive stream of flames enchanted with dark magic. Impossible to put out even with magical water, and with a dormant sentience of its own, it will relentlessly pursue anything it can reduce to ash with a force of over four tons of TNT. Boomstick: Keep in mind these are all spells that require intense amounts of concentration; simply picking a wand up and saying the words will have no effect. A further testament to Voldemort’s skill is that he can use his spells non-verbally, shaving precious time off of an opponent’s ability to react, and sometimes even without a wand. Wiz: Because Wands are, in the end, only channels for magic, which can be bypassed with exceptional ability. However, the benefits of a wand can’t be ignored, and Voldemort carried a particularly powerful one composed with a core of a phoenix feather. After discarding it to avoid magical backlash against Harry’s wand, Voldemort began using the wands of his followers, decreasing his power due to the lack of a bond between wand and wizard. Even then, he was capable of stalemating his old master Albus Dumbledore, who was one of the most powerful wizards to ever walk the face of the Earth due to his wielding of the Elder Wand, a wand of tremendous strength created by Death himself. Boomstick: But after Dumbledore got Snaped, Voldemort took the wand for his own. It didn’t recognize him as its official owner, preventing him from using its full potential, but the power boost was still tremendous. He’s duelled and nearly killed three powerful wizards simultaneously, destroyed a castle-sized defensive shield, and shattered a large glass window by simply screaming. And despite his skinny frame, he can take a large amount of physical punishment, like that time he crashed through a stone wall and got up just fine, or the fact that he can fly faster than human terminal velocity with no ill effects. Wiz: However, Voldemort is not invincible when it comes to physical harm. It’s extremely difficult to get past his magical defenses, but his body’s physical capabilities are not as great as the spells he can conjure. Boomstick: Moreover, if his body is destroyed, he may live on as split parts of a soul, but he has no means to actually do anything about it until he possesses something and creates a potion to restore his body. And there are certain magical items capable of destroying a Horcrux, so killing him off forever is possible if you know what you’re doing. And before the Elder Wand came into play, Voldemort’s killing curse couldn’t work on anyone protected by a sacrifice of love. Wiz: Still, the extreme diversity of the Dark Lord’s powers combined with his immense aptitude for magic means that he definitely deserves the title of the most dangerous wizard who ever lived... wait, Boomstick the Bombastic? Voldemort: Harry Potter, the boy who lived... come to die... AVADA KEDAVRA!!! Saruman Wiz: In the beginning, there was nothing but Ilúvatar, the one Supreme Being. By the power of his songs, he created the fifteen Valar, angelic heralds whom he would task in shaping a world to their liking in his grace. And thus, Middle Earth was created through the Valar, from the roaring seas to the highest mountains, from the giving trees to the greedy fires, and the races of Elves, Dwarves and Man. Most of the Valar where benevolent and sought nothing than to please Ilúvatar, but one, Melkor, was dark and independent. Despite his attempts to sow discord, he was cast aside. Boomstick: Each of the Valar, well, the good ones anyway, had assistants given to them by Ilúvatar in the form of the Maiar. While not of the same godlike cut, they still possessed immense power, and several remained in the world long after the Valar had retreated to rest. Millennia passed, but the influence of Melkor remained. Now going by the name of the Dark Lord Morgoth, his looming shadow convinced one of the Maiar to fall from grace and join the Dark Side of the Force. Wiz: This was Mairon, who was in service to Aulë, the Valar of craftsmanship and forging. Through the talents and skills he inherited, he forged the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom, pouring his very essence into it to grant him immense power. Boomstick: Seems kinda bullshit that you can just make your own power like that. Wiz: Though his attempt to conquer the world ultimately ended in defeat, his soul remained in the depths of Mordor and bound within the surviving Ring. Slowly, he began to restore himself, and the powers that be commanded five of the Maiar to take on a human form and live among the mortals, so as to guide the races of Middle Earth to defeat Sauron a second time. These were the five Great Wizards, and the head of the order was Saruman of Many Colours. Boomstick: Originally known as Curumo, Saruman was also a Maia to Aulë, and thus the best to match Sauron’s talents, but even though they were all of the same cloth as their enemy, the Wizards were specifically instructed to never grow in power to match Sauron’s, in fear of the consequences of fighting fire with fire. Still, compared to the likes of humans, the Wizards packed incredible magic. Wiz: Each went their own way to prepare for the second coming of Sauron, and Saruman took to the book, studying the dark magics in the hopes of discovering a way to defeat the Dark Lord. However, Saruman was a being of pride, and was intensely jealous of his fellow wizard Gandalf. After witnessing a fraction of Sauron’s immense might, these fractures paved the way for him to be consumed by a lust for power just as Sauron before him. Thus, he secretly betrayed his fellow Wizards and allied his forces with those of Mordor, hoping to betray Sauron at the end of the war and obtain the Ring of Power for his own. Boomstick: When news of Saruman’s betrayal came out, fear was paramount, as his power was among the greatest in the land. With his badass Staff of Power, he can use techniques such as the Wizard Blast, the Fireball Blast, and the Lightning Blast, each packing a wide blast radius and capable of mowing down entire groups of soldiers. He can shoot fireballs, levitate objects, shine light, and even create shockwaves simply by tapping the ground. Wiz: The range of Saruman’s magic is great, especially from up on tall heights. During the battle for Helm’s deep, the wizard was able to cast dozens of fireballs that flew from the tower of Orthanc to the fortress in just a matter of seconds. From analyzing detailed maps of Middle Earth, that’s a distance of about 75 miles. A single one of these fireballs exploded with a blast diameter of over 600 feet, clocking in at the equivalent of nearly 30 000 tons of TNT... provided that it was an actual bomb and not just a display firework. Boomstick: Heh heh. Screw you, 70’s animation! Well, you think that’s cool? From the same tower, he manipulated the weather on the Misty Mountains, calling upon raging winds and lightning strikes in order to tear down the entire Mountain of Cathardis. It obviously would have taken a lot of time and intense concentration, but still, holy Mordor. Wiz: Saruman’s magic was often stated to be greater than that of Gandalf the Grey’s, and it is likely that that he can use several of his rival’s techniques, such as the ability to magically seal doors, or the Shield of the Istari, which casts a magical barrier around the user capable of blocking powerful attacks. Gandalf was also knowledgeable in Counter Spells; as many attacks and techniques required intense incantations, particularly the more powerful ones, the right incantation used against it can in theory nullify the spell. However, Saruman’s vast strength and knowledge ultimately proved too much for that technique alone to overpower him. Given the time Saruman spent studying magic, it’s very likely he can use Counter Spells as well, but simply has no need for them due to his superiority. Boomstick: Like most wizards, Saruman casts his spells by using his Staff of Power as a conduit, but it also doubles as a melee weapon more than a walking stick. His close-range combat skills are undeniable, as with each strike of his Staff he unleashes a concussive blast capable of shattering stone, and believe me, these strikes come often. The staff can also be used to harm undead wraiths, including the Nine, whom Saruman was able to dispatch with the help of the Elven Lord Elrond. Keep in mind these guys could teleport short distances and were masters of stealth, although Saruman’s own sneakiness puts them to shame. He was practically capable of travelling around the continent without being seen. Wiz: As he originally served the Valar of crafts and forging, Saruman was skilled in those talents just as Sauron before him, and constructed a massive forge underneath the tower of Orthanc. Under his supervision, he was able to mass-produce weapons and armour for his army of ten thousand orcs in a very short amount of time. He also was skilled in chemistry, constructing powerful black powders with explosive reactions to fire, capable of devastating entire stone walls. Boomstick: Saruman can assist his armies from afar, granting them increases in speed and strength as well as tiring out their foes through magic, however, mere orcs would not suffice sufficiently against the men of the west. Their inability to travel in sunlight was a real pain in the ass, so the wizard sought to remove that through some good ol’ fashioned intelligent design. In his underground weird goopy mud pits, he bred the Uruk-Hai, a crossbreed between orcs and elves, which is ironic because orcs were just elves who also got corrupted by dark magic. Pros: Potentially bang Paula Patton or Liv Tyler. Cons: Paying child support for those ugly bastards. Wiz: In addition to immunity to sunlight, the Uruk-Hai of Isengard were completely loyal to Saruman, going so far as to die for his cause, though killing them would be extremely difficult. A notable Uruk, Lurtz, killed Boromir and nearly Aragorn as well, two of the most skilled swordsmen in Middle Earth. Their sense of smell was so great that they could detect an incoming man from miles away, and make manoeuvres based on such. Boomstick: Saruman can use the Palantir, a large bowling ball used as a seeing stone, in order to gaze across entire continents in one direction, spying on everything in his sight. Yes, his beard is white, he has magical powers, and he sees you when you’re sleeping. Take away from that what you will, but nothing can hide from his gaze unless it’s hidden in literal shadows. They also act as two-way cell-phones if someone else has one. Wiz: But Saruman’s most dangerous attribute isn’t his magic, his experience, his weapons, tools, or creations. It’s his voice. Boomstick: Damn right it is. M m mmmmm, that sweet sound of Christopher Lee. Wiz: No, not that... okay, yeah, partly that. But Saruman was a master of persuasion and speech; as Gandalf remarked, even with all other abilities stripped away from him, this alone still registered him as a dangerous foe. Saruman’s charisma and skill at lying can convince anyone of anything, planting hope where there is none, sewing doubt amongst truth, turning enemies to his side in the middle of battle, and making even the most worthy warriors question their goals. After his defeat at the Battle of Orthanc, Saruman was able to persuade the mighty Ent Treebeard to let him escape his prison, and while Ents aren’t the smartest of creatures... Boomstick: We want be Groot! Wiz: They are among the most steadfast and careful. Through manipulation, Saruman placed the entire kingdom of Rohan under subjugation, entrancing its King and basically turning him into a living puppet. Even the powerful White Council, consisting of the likes of Elrond, Galadriel, and Gandalf, were partly swayed to avoid drawing out Sauron because of his speechcraft. Boomstick: He also managed to enslave the Shire in a similar fashion, managing to convince the Hobbits within to start torching their own forests for no reason other than to spite a certain annoying midget. He could probably convince Wiz to stop delaying my paychecks. However, much like Wiz, Saruman has lots of power, but his physical body is not the most durable; without magic to defend himself, all it takes is one small stab with a knife to cripple him. Wiz: Saruman and his Staff both descended from the Valar, so if someone is deemed to hold a higher authority over him, or is lucky enough to know the password, they can literally shatter his Staff with a word. But above all else, Saruman’s most critical weakness is his immense pride. Thanks to his utmost confidence in his own abilities, Saruman can be caught off guard if he thinks any particular move is too foolish to see coming. Boomstick: He failed to consider a newly reincarnated Gandalf a threat even though he was basically recreated by Gods to be better than him. He probably wouldn’t have taken his failed gambit if he wasn’t so damn smug and sure of himself. But still, Saruman is a badass. If that time he utterly curbstomped Gandalf the Grey, wielder of the Ring of Fire, blower-upper of mountains, and slayer of Balrogs, isn’t enough to convince you of his power, may Ilúvatar help you. Saruman: I gave you the choice of... aiding me willingly... but you have elected, the way of pain! Interlude Wiz: All right, the combatants are set. Let's end this debate once and for all. Boomstick: IT'S TIME FOR A DEATH BATTLE!!! Death Battle! (The Obliviation, 0:20-1:44) Outside of Malfoy Manor, two masked Death Eaters apparate out of the night air onto the porch, and one whispers a secret password into the door. It opens up, allowing the two inside, where they remove their masks and make their way to a long table held in the dining hall. Several other Death Eaters are present, such as the Malfoys, Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape, but the symposium is being held by none other than Lord Voldemort himself. They conjure chairs and take a seat, and Voldemort slowly waves his hand at one of them. Voldemort: Rookwood... what news? Rookwood: Gobinda Grishka knew nothing of the Elder Wand. The Veritaserum made sure of that. Jugson: The Cruciatus Curse revealed nothing either. A very unfortunate turn of events, my Lord. I can assure you, any loose ends were dealt with and covered up. Voldemort sneers, and nearly bangs his fist on the table, but decides to remain composed. Voldemort: Time is no longer an ally. Harry Potter will be planning his next move, and I will need to counter. I need the full support of the Elder Wand in order to guarantee victory, but it... resists me. Pettigrew: A...a...are you s...sure you are its master, my Lord? Voldemort: Don’t be foolish, Pettigrew! Snape killed the fool Dumbledore, and then surrendered the wand to me completely! I am its master! Unnoticed by everyone else, Snape shifts in his seat. Pettigrew: Then p...perhaps your power was already so great th...that you may not notice its benefits... Voldemort: Ah, now that would be a shame. Snape: If this is true, and you have achieved the highest state of power a wand can achieve, then perhaps a wand is not the answer. Voldemort: What is this, Severus? What have you known, and kept from me? Snape: Before now, I never bothered to tell you anything of rumour or myth, my Lord; a waste of your time until proof could be found. But under these circumstances, perhaps these latest findings may offer us a new advantage. Snape waves his wand, and a book flies out of a briefcase in the corner of the room, landing on the table in front of Voldemort and flipping open to a page detailing a map of Middle Earth on one side, and a short story of the One Ring on the other. Voldemort begins to read as Snape continues. Snape: It is known simply as the Ring of Power, and until recently, it was believed to have been simple myth originating from New Zealand. However, we now have proof of its existence. Its whereabouts are another matter, but there is one who can find it for us, and in short time as well. Lucious Malfoy: Surely you do not speak of Saruman of Many Colours! To move against him would be foolish! Voldemort: A wizard more powerful than me? Snape: A Wizard more powerful than us, my Lord. Not more powerful than you. He will need convincing. (Snape To Malfoy Manor, 0:00-0:30) Voldemort clasps his hands in front of his head and thinks for a few seconds, as some Death Eaters nervously shuffle in their seats. Finally, he raises his head. Voldemort: This Ring is said to consume the soul... Snape: Your soul is protected, my Lord. And the Dark Lord Sauron has been dead for Millennia. It would seem only you could wield its power now. Voldemort: ... As I shall. Rookwood, Jugson. You two will come with me to Isengard. The rest of you, continue your assignments until I return. Jugson: Only two of us shall accompany you, my Lord? Voldemort says nothing, and merely stands up and leaves the table, along with the rest of the Death Eaters. Across the continents in Isengard, Saruman the White is taking a stroll through a series of lush gardens not too far from the tower of Orthanc. As he smokes a pipe of Old Toby, Grima Wormtongue fumbles along beside him, nervous about recent events. (Saruman the White, 0:40-1:55) Saruman: You show too much concern over a Halfling, Wormtongue. Gandalf the Grey is dead; a motley group of eight will offer no resistance. This Fellowship shall never reach Rohan, therefore, King Theoden has no need to know about the Ring’s movement. Wormtongue: It is not Theoden I worry about, it is his nephew Éomer. He leads a group of riders on horseback; we cannot find him, and he may be close to the Ring. Saruman: How long have you known this? Wormtongue: He has been in exile for nearly a month... Wormtongue can’t say anything else as his head is smacked by Saruman’s staff. Saruman: You fool! Why was this not brought to my attention immediately! A group of riders is no concern, but they are a great annoyance if I do not know of their whereabouts! Suddenly, three puffs of black smoke appear on the path in front of the two; as they look up, Voldemort, Rookwood and Jugson appear, and take in their surroundings. One look at Voldemort’s snake-like face is enough to make Wormtongue turn tail and run away, but with a flick of his wand, Voldemort ends his life with the Killing Curse before he gets very far. Voldemort: I pray, that he was not known as Saruman. Saruman: You speak now to Saruman. I gave you my name, wizard, now you shall give me yours. Voldemort: Such bravado is unnecessary. You know who I am. Saruman: Must I concern myself with every ego in Middle Earth? Voldemort sneers and fires a red jet of energy from his wand at Saruman, who deflects it into a tree with his staff; the tree splinters and falls over on the ground behind the White Wizard. Saruman takes an offensive stance, as do the two Death Eaters, but Voldemort puts his other hand up to his head and closes his eyes. Sudden flashes of Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship of the ring enter his mind, and he smiles, before turning to Rookwood. Voldemort: The ring is in the hands of a Halfling. I will find him; kill the old man. Voldemort turns to leave and walks past Rookwood and Jugson, who draw their wands and prepare to fire. Saruman, however, has none of it and waves his staff; the two Death Eaters become paralyzed, before dropping to the ground. With another push of his staff, Saruman sends the two flying out of the gardens, but Voldemort raises his wand to protect himself from the attack. Saruman: I do not enjoy being looked down upon, wizard! It would seem every child in the west wants the ring for themselves, but I will not allow the matter to be complicated any further! The time for questions has passed! FIGHT!!! (Saruman the White, 3:13-4:06) Saruman extends his staff and fires a bolt of lightning at Voldemort, who easily deflects it with a wave of the Elder Wand. Voldemort: Now now, you have been taught how to duel, I presume? First we bow to each other. Voldemort mockingly bows, keeping his eyes on Saruman, who does not move. Voldemort: Old men blinded by pride have too long been a thorn in my side. I said BOW! With this, Voldemort curses Saruman, forcing the Wizard to bend his back and bow amidst his grunts of pain. Voldemort stands up straight and flicks his wand; Saruman collapses to the ground as if flattened by a massive surge of pressure. Lifting his face out of the dirt, an angered Saruman shoves his Staff forwards, sending Voldemort flying into a stone wall with a telekinetic push. Another push of his staff slams an unseen force into Voldemort again, this time sending him crashing though the weakened wall. Voldemort gets up, as does Saruman, and throws several bolts of energy at the Maiar; they each hit an invisible shield around Saruman with no effect as he advances forward. Voldemort: Avada Kedavra! This time, a green stream of energy flies out of the Elder Wand; Saruman’s eyes recognize it as the spell that felled Wormtongue and he quickly raises his Staff above his face, trying to form a counterattack in time. Just as a ball of energy forms, the curse hits his weapon with a concussive blast strong enough to send Saruman skidding back; he then narrowly twists his head to the side to avoid a second Killing Curse, which sails behind him and hits a large tree, making it wither instantly. Saruman lifts his free hand to the top of his staff, and the orb on its tip starts to glow orange before erupting into a small fireball. Waving it above his head, and leaving a stream of fire in the air, Saruman casts a shower of fireballs towards Voldemort, who laughs and waves the Elder Wand. The fireballs land around him, and some even connect, but he stands still, unaffected by the flames; they fail to burn even the grass around him. Voldemort: Surprised? Don’t be. My power is unmatched. Gandalf: Even compared to the likes of you. (Sanctuary, 0:00-0:27) Saruman’s mouth drops slightly, and he steps backwards, feeling surprised, confused, scared, and furious all at the same time. In front of him stands Gandalf the Grey, Staff in one hand, and sword in the other. Burning brightly on his hand is Narya, the ring denied to Saruman long ago. Saruman: Gandalf the Grey is dead! He fell to the Balrog of Morgoth! Gandalf: Died, perhaps. But dead is a little extreme. Even then, you still fear my power. I have the ring of fire, Saruman. You shall never compare! (Sanctuary, 1:51-3:45) Angered, Saruman raises his staff and blasts a bolt of lightning from it; it rips through Gandalf, causing him to fade away like a dispersing mist; however, Voldemort comes flying through; Saruman only barely raises a defense to protect himself as Voldemort slashes with the Elder Wand; a sharp tear forms through Saruman’s defenses as the wand cuts like a sword. The White Wizard tries to bring his staff down on Voldemort’s head, only for him to apparate behind him. A jet of lightning forms at the head of each of their weapons, and the two collide, trying to push back against the other. Saruman eventually forces Voldemort to stumble backwards, but the stumbling turns into gliding as Voldemort retreats a short distance. Voldemort: Sectumsempra! A slash, cut by an invisible blade, carves itself into Saruman’s chest, staining his robes with his blood. He cries out and drops to the ground; another twitch of Voldemort’s wand creates a second gash parallel to the first, causing Saruman to yell in anguish. Voldemort laughs, and waves his wand again; this effect locks Saruman’s hands to his sides and his legs together; he drops his staff as he is lifted into the air by the body-bind jinx, and spun around like a top, to Voldemort’s entertainment. Finally, he decides to slam Saruman back down to the Earth, where the impact causes him to spit up blood. As Saruman crawls on the ground, Voldemort walks over to him and steps on his hand as it grasps his staff. Voldemort: As great as you were proclaimed to be, you were merely a spare enemy. You will die. Saruman: Arrogant FOOL!!! Even when unable to move his hand, Saruman simply tightening his grip on his Staff of Power creates a large shockwave that ripples through it, knocking Voldemort off. Saruman quickly stands up and pins Voldemort to the ground, and starts emitting force from the end of his weapon; crushed by immense pressure, Voldemort is slowly buried into the soft soil, unable to retaliate, until a flash of light sends him several meters back, carving a trench in the dirt path. As he gets up, Saruman walks towards him, with the blood and wounds slowly disappearing from his robes. Saruman: You, a conjurer of cheap tricks, enter the domain of Saruman, and think you can take the Ring of Power from my grasp as if it were a small trinket! I am Curumo of Many Colours, Maiar to the Valar Aulë, descendant of the supreme being! History has become legend, and legend myth, but my power remains even in the face of your ignorance! You are no great wizard more than you are an annoyance! Voldemort, so mad he nearly hisses, lunges forward, and a green light emits from the Elder Wand as he prepares to fire another killing curse. However, this is stopped when a ball of energy shoots out from Saruman’s staff, striking Voldemort in the wrist and causing the wand to go flying backwards. Voldemort clutches his arm, but receives another one of these blasts to the chest, then the head, then the legs. Refusing to fall down, the Dark Lord is beaten backwards with consecutive attacks from Saruman; the ground beneath him flies apart with the force of the attacks, but neither yields in their efforts. After taking a hit to the head, Voldemort spots the Elder Wand on the ground not too far behind him, and reaches out towards it; it flies back to its owner’s hand, and he points it around back to Saruman, eager to turn the tables. Voldemort: Crucio! Saruman buckles over as his body becomes subject to immense pain, though he too refuses to fall down again. Repeated flicks of the wand bring about a new burst of pain as Voldemort glares at his enemy. Voldemort: No man has treated me with such disrespect! I will squeeze every last drop of life from your withered body before I kill you! With a surge of pride and power, Saruman yells and leaps into the air, augmenting his strength through magic. Breaking out of the Cruciatus Curse and flying several dozen feet through the air towards Voldemort, he brings his Staff crashing down on the Elder Wand, which the sorcerer has hastily raised to conjure a shield charm. Saruman touches down on the ground and brings his staff around again and again, swinging at Voldemort only for each attack to be met with the wand again. Upon each connection, the staff lets out a small concussive blast that shakes the ground beneath them, but is blocked by a small forcefield extending from the Elder Wand. Finally, Saruman gains an opening when he twists around and jabs Voldemort in the stomach with the end of his staff, sending the Wizard into a backflip twenty feet away. The White Wizard then begins to spin his staff above his head. (Sanctuary, 5:51-6:00) Saruman: You have chosen death. Smashing it down on the ground, Saruman creates a large shockwave which radiates outwards quickly, enveloping the area in a bright white light. Voldemort squints his eyes as he is overwhelmed, and most of the garden around them smolders and dies upon contact with the blast. (Isengard, 0:00-0-:30) As Saruman looks up, he sees the devastation on his garden brought by his attack, but spots no trace of his opponent. Angered, he hastily walks towards his tower, where he is met by a goblin envoy at the door. The two converse while running up a spiral staircase. Goblin: Did you dispatch the intruder, Lord Saruman? Saruman: No, he escaped. Golbin: He would be too scared to return. Saruman: I am certain he will. A powerful wizard, of whom I have never heard of before, has suddenly made a move against me in an attempt to gain the Ring. If the Dark Lord Sauron has anticipated my betrayal and sent him in his stead, he will most certainly return, with a large force. Sauron is no fool; he knows the size of my army. Goblin: You think he serves Sauron? Saruman: I do not know, but I know he must be dealt with. If the Wizard does serve Sauron, he must still be disposed of with haste! He knows the location of the ring; that is reason enough! Goblin: You do not fear this wizard! Saruman: I fear wasting time. (Sky Battle, 0:00-2:14) The two enter a large room with a table in the center; Sauron rips a cloth off of the table and stares into the Palantir. Quickly, he spots Voldemort flying in the air above the courtyard of Isengard, waving his wand as if summoning something forth. Saruman: He’s here. Ring the alarum bell! The goblin runs off while Saruman steps onto the balcony. Voldemort smiles with glee and laughs as he raises his hands in the air. Down on the ground, hands of decayed flesh start to rip out of the ground, pulling themselves up. Thousands of pairs follow, soon followed by zombified heads, torsos, and legs; the Inferi. Partly translucent, and mostly rotting the living dead dig themselves out of the ground, and slowly start to march on Orthanc. Voldemort waves his wand and fires a large bolt of lightning ahead of his army; thinking quickly, Saruman extends his staff and fires a bolt of his own to deflect it. He does this to two more of Voldemort’s attacks, before the whirring of gears below him catches his attention. Several cogs are spinning at the foot of Orthanc, lifting up wooden elevators from the forges deep underground. With a roar, elevator doors start opening, and the Uruk-Hai march out into the open, forming military formations to oppose the Inferi. Soon, an army of tens of thousands of orcs stares down Voldemort’s army, and their two leaders command them from high above. As the Goblin returns to his side, Saruman raises his staff and amplifies his voice for his entire army to hear. Saruman: Before you lies your first test in the name of Saruman! Should you fail, the Ring will be lost, but you will not fail! This wizard’s army shall be crushed by the might of your tens of thousands of swords and axes! The Uruks all cheer and start banging on their shields. Saruman: Make your victory swift, and leave none alive! Voldemort: Noble words, for one who is about to die. None are alive. The inferi on the front lines shriek and start limping forwards at a decently fast pace. Spread out in a line over a mile wide, they rush towards the tower, where the front lines of the Uruk-Hai have moved into a counter formation. Those at the front set up a wall with shields and pikes, while many archers at the rear aim towards the sky. Saruman: Fire at will! Bowstrings are let loose, and thousands of arrows fly into the sky, casting a shadow over the courtyard. Slowly, they arc downwards, and fall upon the Inferi, most striking their marks. Heads, chests and limbs alike are all impaled, but the Inferi march on as if oblivious to the wounds. Those that are knocked to the ground pick themselves back up. Voldemort, meanwhile, transfigures a flurry of arrows heading towards him into mere feathers, which start slowly falling towards the ground. Noting that the arrows had no effect, the Uruk vanguard stands up, and begins a march forwards. The march slowly turns into a full-speed stampede, and with weapons of all sorts at the ready, they meet the Inferi in the middle of the battlefield. (Helm’s Deep, 0:02-1:53) The undead army is smashed to the ground nearly instantly by the power of the Uruk-Hai. Some are trampled under foot, others are slashed open down the chest, still others have their heads lopped off. The momentum of the charge carries the army of the White Hand through to the rear of the inferi, breaking them up as the Uruk formation dissolves. The inferi fight ferociously, but fail to compete with the armour and weapons of their enemies. However, they are not without their own power. Some lesser orcs become swarmed by several inferi at once and get dragged to the ground, their flesh violently torn apart, but the fallen Uruk is quickly replaced by five more who dispatch the undead attackers. Back at the base of Orthanc, a massive Uruk with a white hand painted on his face emerges, and watches the battle. Three Inferi charge at him, but two powerful arrows and a kick to the face end their advance. Back on the battlefield, a large Uruk-Hai brings his axe down, splitting the skull of an Inferi, and he kicks it to the ground. Turning around and preparing to leave, he hears a snarl from behind, and turns around just in time to witness the Inferi, axe still inside its head, leaping at him. Taken by surprise, he is overwhelmed, and his neck is snapped before he can call a warning. The tide of the battle begins to turn as all the Inferi previously thought dead stir from the ground, catching many more Uruk-Hai off guard. Even with their brutally mutilated bodies and missing limbs, they fight on as if immune to all the damage the Uruks can dish out. Soon, the army of Isengard is falling fast; despite their power, none of the Inferi go down permanently. Voldemort laughs at his fortune, and casts several bolts of energy from the Elder Wand; the Reductor curses rain down on the fields, causing several explosions that send orc and undead alike flying about. A small brigade of archers manages to break through the Inferi and sets up formation underneath the Dark Lord, targeting him in the sky, though he pays them no heed. Uruk-Hai #6245: READY! AIM! FIAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!!! The formation is destroyed by explosive spells cast by the Death Eaters Rookwood and Jugson, who have returned and entered the fray. The masked men charge into battle to defend their master, disposing of several dozen orcs through the Killing Curse and Sectumsempra. Back at the base, the Uruk general spots the body of one of the inferi that charged him earlier attacking him again. Enraged, he picks it up and starts slamming it about, as it struggles to tear his flesh up. Goblin: They aren’t dying, my lord! Saruman: The dead shall never walk again; they merely live beyond their lives. But one thing destroys all that lives. Saruman stands up straight again, and shouts commands to his armies above the noise of the battle. Saruman: Use your fire! Burn them so they may not rise again! (Deathly Hallows, 0:46-1:26) Saruman’s staff begins to glow, and the Uruk-Hai below him become inspired to fight back. Using their torches, they set fire to the fields, halting the frightened Inferi. The advantage is regained; every destroyed head is burnt with a torch, squirming bodies are set alight, and several orcs even light their weapons on fire to deal fatal damage. The Uruk General throws his annoying attacker down into the forges, and then picks up a large barrel. Running across the courtyard, he shrugs off attacks from friend and foe alike as a black powder pours out of the barrel. When it empties, all the orcs near him run away as he grabs a torch from a subordinate and lights it up. A massive explosion lights up the battlefield, sending Inferi bodies everywhere. (The Prophecy, 1:28-2:20) The Army of Isengard cheers, but their victory cries are cut short when the immense fireball inexplicably shrinks down; growing smaller and smaller, it fades away, revealing Voldemort standing in the open area. The orcs are silent, but then charge the Dark Lord in groups at a time The endeavour is unsuccessful, as each warrior that challenges the sorcerer dies quickly. Each flick of a wand creates a blast that sends multiple orcs flying, and Voldemort apparates away every time he is nearly hit. Killing curses are let loose haphazardly, downing several more. From the tower of Orthanc, a dozen blue flares form, and they shoot down on the battlefield like meteors; Voldemort deflects the first few away where they decimate Saruman’s own army, and as the rest envelop him, he casts Protego, shielding himself from the immense blast while the Uruks and Inferi burn around him. Saruman turns to his goblin aid. Saruman: The sorcerer arrived with two masked men, weaker in strength. Find them, and bring them to me. (Battle Of The Heroes, 0:23-1:56) The Goblin leaps out the window and slides down the walls of the tower, eventually reaching the ground. He runs into battle, leaping off the heads of the participants until he reaches the general, and relays the message. Soon after delivering it, the goblin is struck by a Killing Curse, but the general defends himself with his shield. Uruk General: Find the masked men, fast! FIND THE MASKED MEN, FAST! Voldemort flies into the air to equal height with Saruman, dashing through the air to avoid fire and lightning fired by the White Wizard. Seeing both armies falling fast, Saruman raises his hands in the air; the clouds begin to darken. Saruman: Cuiva nwalca Carnirassë! Nai yarvaxëa rasselya! Taltuva ñotto-carinnar! Rain begins to fall and the winds begin to blow furiously as Saruman summons a mighty storm forth. The winds catch Voldemort off guard, and though he tries to remain in the air, he is eventually blown away, apparating to the ground to save himself. Down there, lightning bolts eliminate even more Inferi, whittling the army down, as the Death Eaters attack a group of advancing orcs. Though they fight valiantly, over one hundred swarm them, and inspired by Saruman, they tackle them to the ground. Their wands confiscated, they are picked up and carried to Orthanc. Voldemort spots this and runs after the escort, but he is tackled to the ground by the Uruk-Hai general, who starts pummeling his face in. Voldemort yells out and lifts the General above the ground, where he drops his weapons and flails harmlessly in the air. Voldemort: Avada Kedavra! The General is hit through the neck and drops to the ground, and Voldemort turns around to see a large line of Uruk-Hai running towards him. The Dark Lord smiles, and a small thread of fire starts emitting from the tip of the Elder Wand. (Isengard, 0:30-1:24) Up in Orthanc, Saruman, having just finished interrogating his prisoners, is deep in a moment of thought, deciding the best course of action to take with the limited information he has received. Saruman: There is nothing in the ancient texts that speaks of this sort of magic... if strength is not the answer, words must be. Saruman returns to the roof of Orthanc and stares down onto the battlefield below; it is now massively scorched, with a few streaks of flames flying about as if they were alive. Voldemort is still active in an area he has cleared, surrounded by dead soldiers, but several thousand still move around him, some finishing off the Inferi, and others trying to attack the Dark Lord. Saruman: ENOUGH!!! The voice of the White Wizard booms throughout Izengard like a shockwave, causing Uruk-Hai and Inferi alike to look up. Even Voldemort, a little confused, gazes upwards to the top of Orthanc, where Saruman smiles wryly. Saruman: You are a powerful wizard, Lord Voldemort. But your talents are wasted here. You seek the Ring of Power, as do I, but that does not make us enemies if we share a common goal. Can we not come to council over the matter? Voldemort sneers and flies upwards, facing Saruman at the top of the tower. Voldemort: You call for parlay? Coward. Voldemort raises his wand, but is stopped as the head of Saruman’s staff is quickly placed against his chest, stalemating the two. Saruman: I call for more than parlay, I call for an allegiance. Voldemort is livid at the suggestion, but aware of his circumstances, lowers his wand. (The Face of Voldemort, 0:00-2:06) Soon, two large doors to Saruman’s chamber swing open, and the White Wizard storms in, followed by Voldemort, Rookwood, and Jugson. Saruman sits down, but the Dark Lord declines a seat. Saruman: You seek the Ring of Power, as do I. But that does not make us enemies. I simply wish to keep it out of more powerful hands, I do not intend to keep if for my own. The Dark Lord Sauron is rising, but he is weak in the moment, and by our powers combined, we can crush him in a single stroke. Voldemort: What makes you think I would be so... eager, to join your cause? Harry Potter is my priority. Saruman (scoffing): The boy? Why concern yourself with a boy? What power does Harry Potter have that so frightens you? Voldemort: He lived when he should have died. He knows things nobody should know. He inspires others against my cause... Saruman: The rightful heir to the throne of Middle Earth’s most powerful kingdom has resurfaced, and a tiny Hobbit has taken possession of the Ring on a selfless journey to destroy it. Yet the free folk are losing the war. Inspiration means nothing when against absolute power. You are too preoccupied with a boy to seize what is in your grasp! As Saruman keeps monologuing, Voldemort considers the suggestion, and looks down at the Elder Wand, pondering if this is what has been keeping him from unlocking its full potential. The two Death Eaters exchange worried glances. Saruman: What could he possibly know that would frighten you so? Are you not powerful enough to resist the will of the ring? Voldemort: My soul can resist the ring! Do not take me for a coward or a fool, old man, or it will be the last thing you do in this world! Saruman: The boy knows vulnerabilities of yours? Ways you can be defeated? Here is my offer to you, if you are unconvinced. Saruman stands up and walks to a table in the center of the room, ripping a cloth off of it and revealing the Palantir. Voldemort and the Death Eaters examine it. Saruman: I can find the boy with ease, no matter where he hides. I can kill him, and when I do, nothing can hold you down from ultimate power. Join me, Lord Voldemort, and together, we can defeat Sauron, and Harry Potter. Voldemort stares into the Palantir, unable to see anything. He closes his eyes and sniffs the air, as if considering the suggestion. Saruman and the Death Eaters watch on, and it appears Voldemort is going to accept the offer; Saruman smiles. Opening his eyes, Voldemort stares into the Palantir again, and spots a vision of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley running through a forest. He smiles, and his grip tightens against his wand. Voldemort: ...I, must be the one to kill Harry Potter. AVADA KEDAVRA!!! Voldemort whips around and fires the Killing Curse at Saruman; the Wizard blocks it with the head of his staff, but the force of the collision still knocks him backwards, sliding into the wall. Voldemort: You have provided me with the means to do so. I have no need for any more pawns. Saruman props himself against his staff and tries to stand up, slightly laughing; to this, Voldemort’s look of confidence changes to one of confusion. Saruman: Pawns, you say. You act as if power cannot be shared. Kill him. (The Bridge of Khazad Dum, 0:00-1:52) Voldemort turns around just as his Death Eaters, swayed by Saruman’s promises, draw their wands against him. He quickly conjures shield charms to block and deflect their attacks as they press onto him, before apparating away. He instantly reappears behind Rookwood with his wand to his neck and fires a point-blank killing curse, killing the Death Eater before he can even hit the floor. Jugson fires a killing curse at his former master, but the Dark Lord telekinetically swings a large stone statue over to block the curse; the stone shatters in the air, and Voldemort’s own killing curse rips through the wreckage, downing his other companion instantly. Voldemort turns to face Saruman, but the wizard is back on his feet already, and with a shove of his staff, he pushes Voldemort into the wall. Voldemort gets back up and shoots a spell at Saruman, hitting him in the chest and knocking him back, but almost immediately after, Saruman raises his wand and lifts Voldemort up through magic, throwing him against the wall. Voldemort crashes down to the floor, and aims his wand at a large mirror hanging on the wall; he shatters it into thousands of tiny shards of glass, and transfigures them all into knives as he picks himself up. The knives fly at Saruman, who stomps his staff on the ground; a large, dome-like shield surrounds him and the knives all bounce off harmlessly. The two magicians fire several bolts of energy at the other, each either connecting with equal force or missing and blasting the walls of the room. A maddened Voldemort lifts the Palantir up off the table and throws it at Saruman, forcing the Wizard to drop his offense. He catches the device, before being shoved towards the wall by a blast of Magic. The White Wizard, checking to make sure the Palantir is safe, stands up. Turning to Voldemort, Saruman spots him waving his wand in the air, with a bright orange glow escaping from the tip. From the swirls of his wand, a large stream of fire spits out, creating an enormous vortex of flame that takes on the appearance of a serpent. Saruman, now furious, waves his own staff and forms a blue flare on its end. He unleashes it towards the Fiendfyre, which hisses and lunges forward; the two flames collide and push against each other, testing the strength of both wizards as they set fire to Saruman’s chamber. From outside the tower of Orthanc, a large blast of fire escapes the window as the struggle is won. Inside amidst the smoke, a figure stands up, and coughs into their hand. They raise their hand into the air, and using a wand, dissipate the smoke around them; Voldemort still stands. Voldemort: Fool. Suddenly, the Elder Wand flies out of Voldemort’s hand, and into the free hand of Saruman, who stands up with his staff. Voldemort yells out and forms a red sphere of energy in one hand, but fails to use it before Saruman uses both items to throw Voldemort across the room. The Dark Lord gets up and runs at Saruman again, only to be tripped telekinetically, and then smacked in the side with the Staff of Power. With a small shockwave upon connection, the blow sends Voldemort flying out the two large doors, blowing them open as he lands in the middle of a large, empty circular room. Saruman starts slowly walking towards him, holding wand and staff out, and spins Voldemort around on the floor through magic. Bleeding from his head, Saruman shows no mercy to the wizard on the ground in front of him. (The Bridge of Khazad Dum, 3:01-3:46) Saruman: It is you who is the fool! I offered you power! I gave you the choice of aligning with me of your own accord! You do not deserve to wear the ring, but you could have saved your life if you acted with more reason! Voldemort: You... cannot... kill me!!! Saruman: And thus you have elected a path of PAIN!!! With this, Saruman lifts both the Staff of Power and the Elder Wand into the air, throwing Voldemort upwards. As he flails about and yells, the Dark Lord flies up through the tower chamber, rapidly approaching the roof. Saruman does not yield, and Voldemort slams into it, shattering the roof as he passes through it. Now bruised and bloodied, but still screaming, Voldemort flies into the sky high above Orthanc, while far down below, Saruman’s staff glows purple and forms a ball of white light at its tip. With a flick, the White Wizard sends the attack upwards, where it collides with Voldemort high in the air. The Wizard Blast explodes, incinerating a screaming Voldemort as it creates a shockwave that spreads across the sky. (The Bridge of Khazad Dum, 5:44-5:52) When the attack dissipates, Saruman turns around and returns to his chamber, slamming the doors shut behind him without lifting a finger. K.O!!! Snape, who had been watching the battle from afar, turns around and flies away. Saruman approaches the Palantir and extends a hand over it, showing a vision of Hogwarts Castle. Results Boomstick: And thus begins the most epic crossover fanfiction quest ever told! Wiz: This was a very close match, because while Saruman easily outclassed Voldemort in raw power, he also had more critical flaws, and Voldemort had a wider variety of attacks. Keep in mind that his go-to move, Avada Kedavra, cannot be blocked by magical barriers. As the origins and languages of magic are different between the Rowling and Tolkien worlds, Saruman couldn’t have known what was coming, and had his cocky nature led him to use a shield instead of a physical defense, he would have been killed embarrassingly quickly. Boomstick: Thankfully, Saruman does also know to disarm an opponent when in a fight, and while Voldemort can use some spells wandlessly, Avada Kedavra is not one of them. JK Rowling won’t answer my tweets, but since wands are used for conducting magic, they’re likely a necessary safety for the killing curse, since it is in fact possible to die from your own shot. Wiz: And while Saruman is more powerless without his staff than Voldemort without his wand, Voldemort would not think to disarm Saruman due to his disdain for the Expelliarmus charm, which he considers the signature spell of his enemy Harry Potter. Boomstick: Voldemort may be able to fly faster than sound, but he hardly ever utilizes it in a one on one duel. Even then, Saruman can manipulate the weather and launch fireworks faster than mach speeds, so there was no hope for the Dark Lord to try and stay out of range. And when it comes to drawing Dumbledore against besting Gandalf, one is a powerful wizard who created a decently large vortex of fire, and the other is a powerful angel who split the side of a mountain. Like Gandalf, Voldemort has technically died and returned, but we’re pretty sure that Voldemort the White isn’t a thing. Wiz: When it comes to the Ifneri against the Uruk-Hai, the Uruks had the match in the bag. They were stronger, faster, and could receive boosts in power from Saruman, and while they couldn’t know the Inferi were immune to physical damage, they had vastly superior numbers, and did have fire on their side in the form of torches and a biologically-aware Wizard. Boomstick: Though none of the Uruk-Hai were a match for Voldemort, this worked against his favour, as Saruman could observe his strength and be careful not to underestimate him in a direct confrontation. Having Death Eaters join the fight with him actually made matters worse; several have turned tail or even downright betrayed Voldemort before, leaving little doubt Saruman’s voice could turn their allegiances and learn of Voldemort’s secrets. Wiz: Which brings us to the Horcruxes. It’s true that while Saruman could destroy Voldemort’s body, he could not truly kill him until all seven had been found and destroyed. But, Voldemort can’t really do anything about it until he finds a soul to possess and restore his body. As an angel, its unlikely Saruman could have been possessed if given the change, but more importantly, the horcruxes were not entirely out of Saruman’s reach. They may be canon only to Rowling’s Wizarding World, but Saruman could find out about their existence through his power of speech. While Voldemort’s Occulemency and Legilimency could prevent his mind from being read, and detect when he was being lied to, they could not defend against Saruman’s powers of persuasion, especially when used against his Death Eaters of lesser willpower. Boomstick: So having an army did, pretty much the exact opposite of helping. Wiz: By convincing Voldemort to come to council, Saruman could invite him to join their forces and aspire to greater power. Regardless of the proposal’s success, if Voldemort given any hints of eternal life, Saruman’s vast knowledge, information networks, and seeing stones gave him the opportunity to hunt down and destroy any Horcruxes had he deemed Voldemort to remain a threat in any way. Voldemort could not see this master plan coming because of his own pride; convinced Saruman was defeated, he didn’t bother to read his mind, similar to how he never bothered double-checking with Harry Potter after the boy suddenly surrendered himself. Boomstick: Oh man, if Potterheads hear about this loss, they’re going to go through the roof. Wiz: The Winner is Saruman. Do you agree with the results of Voldemort Vs Saruman? Yes No The result was right, the reasoning was not Next Time Category:MP999 Category:What-If? Death Battles Category:'Villain vs. Villain' Themed Death Battles Category:Main Antagonist Duel Category:'Harry Potter vs. Lord of the Rings' themed Death Battles Category:Magic Duel Category:'Army' themed Death Battles Category:Wizard themed death battles Category:Completed What-If? Death Battles Category:Books Themed Death Battles Category:What-If? Death Battles completed in 2017